Everything You Need to Know About Discover Card Rental Car Insurance

Written by Angela Mae

Angela Mae

Investing, credit cards, consumer loans, commercial financing, taxes, retirement, banking, fintech

Angela Mae is a B2B and B2C writer for top finance brands and platforms. She specializes in investing, taxes, retirement planning, and consumer & commercial financing. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English and 10+ years’ experience. Through a combination of extensive journalistic experience, deep-dive research, and expert interviews, she helps brands reach their audience and inspire people to achieve financial freedom.
Read more
Edited by Jasmin Baron

Jasmin Baron

Credit Cards, Travel Rewards, Loyalty Programs, Family Travel, Credit Building, Credit Scores

Linkedin

Jasmin Baron is CardCritics’ senior SEO editor, responsible for editing and writing credit cards, travel rewards, loyalty program, and other credit-related content. She is passionate about personal finance education and enjoys sharing tips and tricks for making the most credit card points and miles with her readers. Her expertise in maximizing credit card travel rewards originated from over two decades of aviation industry experience, including 18 years working as a pilot and college professor/flight instructor in her native Canada. Her work has appeared on sites such as CNN Underscored Money, Business Insider, The Points Guy, and point.me. When she’s not planning her next trip with credit card rewards, you’ll probably find her tinkering around in the kitchen, hanging out with her three kids, or playing with her dog, Benji.
Read more
Last Updated Aug 29, 2025

An employee hands a couple a set of keys at a car rental counter.

Credit cards come with all sorts of perks and benefits. Some cards offer key features like car rental insurance, which is convenient for frequent travelers or those who’d prefer to rent a vehicle rather than take their own on trips.

Before 2018, Discover cards used to come with rental car insurance. It also used to offer a whole host of other features, such as flight accident insurance, return protection, purchase protection and extended warranty.

The card issuer has since discontinued its auto rental insurance and many of these other features. You can still use your Discover cards to reserve or rent a vehicle, and potentially even earn cash back. You just won’t get the insurance.

Credit Card Rental Car Insurance vs. Traditional Insurance

If you’ve ever rented a car before, chances are you’ve come across the term collision and damage waiver (CDW). It might also have been called a Physical Damage Waiver or a Loss Damage Waiver (LDW).

Whatever the name, this waiver essentially exists as an additional — and optional — form of coverage for your rental vehicle. If your vehicle gets stolen or you get into an accident, it’ll kick in to cover the damages so you don’t have to. The cost of this coverage depends on factors like the car type and rental duration. Daily costs can be as high as $30 in some cases.

You don’t have to get this extra coverage, however. In fact, skipping it will likely save you some money on your rental vehicle.

That said, you’ll still need some kind of coverage. Many major credit cards — but not Discover cards — offer CDW. All you have to do is use your card to pay for your rental and decline the rental agency’s CDW.

With credit card rental insurance, you’ll either get:

Primary coverage (meaning the card issuer will pay any insurance claims first); or,
Secondary coverage (meaning your personal insurance will pay any claims and the card issuer will pay the difference or reimburse certain expenses like the deductible)

The amount of protection depends on the credit card, so be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. Also, be aware of any credit card fees, like annual fees and APR. Although it might be cheaper to use your card for rental car protection, these fees can add up if you’re not careful.

Credit Cards with Rental Car Insurance

If you’re interested in a credit card that offers rental car insurance, read our reviews for these top credit cards:

You can also read our roundup of credit cards with the best travel benefits.

The Bottom Line

Discover discontinued its rental car insurance back in 2018. However, you might want to get a credit card that does have a rental car insurance policy if you plan to rent a vehicle now or in the future.

You can find information about your credit card’s insurance policy and other benefits in the fine print. Or you can contact your card issuer and ask them about the benefits. The amount of money you could potentially save this way is worth the extra time.

The information related to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for this product.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Discover Card Rental Insurance Cover SUVs or Trucks?

Discover cards no longer come with car rental insurance. Most credit cards that do have this feature will cover your standard passenger vehicle. However, some won’t cover SUVs or trucks.

MasterCard, for example, doesn’t cover trucks, pickups, sport utility trucks, antique vehicles, cargo vans, off-road vehicles, motorcycles or recreational vehicles.

How Long Can You Rent a Car with Discover Card Insurance?

While Discover doesn’t offer rental insurance anymore, other major credit card companies – like American Express do. AmEx, for example, offers up to 42 consecutive days of coverage (30 days for Washington State residents).

Are There Any Age Restrictions for Rental Coverage?

Typically, you’ll only need to be old enough to qualify for a car rental. You must also be old enough to get a credit card, meaning you must be at least 18 years old.

Will Discover Card Insurance Cover Additional Drivers?

Some credit cards (but not Discover) cover additional drivers. This only applies to those who are on the rental car agency’s contract. Coverage may be limited, so check your credit card’s policy for details.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
*CardCritics™ references a FICO® 8 score, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when evaluating your application.